The Drongos were a quartet of New Zealanders that performed from 1979 to 1986 primarily in New York City.[1]
They originated from Wellington, where, as Red Alert, they were the backing band of the theatrical troupe Red Mole.[2] They were notable for their successful "busking" performances on busy Manhattan street corners[1][3] and also played the legendary CBGB.[2] The New York Times called their eponymous first album "a delightful melange of funk rhythms, country harmonies, precisely layered electric guitar counterpoint and airy folk-rock sounds, with many influences, old and new, absorbed into a delightfully original sound."[1]
The Drongos all moved to New York from New Zealand in 1978:[1][4] They were managed by Martha Moran and Mike Shatzkin[5]